DRIVERS face reduced speed limits and delays as roads throughout Nuneaton, Bedworth and North Warwickshire undergo a `face-lift.’
Highways teams are preparing to move into the area to begin their annual surface dressing programme.
The £2.5 million county-wide project involves the application of bitumen binder and stone chippings to the road surfaces.
Councillor Peter Butlin, Warwickshire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “The surface dressing programme treats around 150 kilometres of road and is successful in cost effectively extending the life of our highways.”
He added: “Delivering the work through our unique contract provides a more efficient service and greater value to the taxpayer.”
While the work is being carried out drivers will be reminded to drive at 10mph or less through areas being treated with surface dressing to help keep the workforce safe and to minimise the hazards of flying chippings picked up by tyres.
People with children or pets are also requested to make sure they are kept away from the machinery and the materials as they are being applied.
Residents whose roads are being treated will be notified by letter to help ensure they are cleared of vehicles to allow the work to be carried out as quickly as possible.
After the initial surface dressing and following the first vacuum sweep of the loose chippings within 24 hours, the roads are swept at seven days and six week intervals to continue to ensure the safety of all road users.
Ten per cent of the chippings are swept up over the six-week period and recycled for use on other less busy rural roads to ensure no materials are wasted.
Under the £2.5 million programme, more than 270 sites totalling some 1.4 million square metres are to be treated.
They range from A roads to residential cul-de-sacs which need to have the serviceable life of their surfaces prolonged.
Balfour Beatty, the county council’s highways maintenance contractors, are carrying out the contract.
Work began last week in the Stratfordupon- Avon area and will quickly move on to Warwick and Rugby and then Nuneaton, Bedworth and North Warwickshire.
